Folding ladder.



No. 737,954. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

J. MoMILLEN & H. H. STY LL. V

FOLDING LADDER.

APPLIOATION FILED arm. 2. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNlTED STATES Patented September 1,1903.

PATENT, OFFICE.

JAMES MCMILLEN, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, AND HENRY HALSTEAD STYLL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING LADDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 737,954, dated September 1, 1903.

Application filed. January 2, 1903. Serial No. 137, M6. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES MoMILLEN, residing at Niagara Falls, county of Niagara, State of New York, and HENRY IIALSTEAD STYLL, residing in the city and countyof Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

IO Our invention consists of an improvement in a folding ladder formed in sections and provided with means for locking the sections in the operative position of the ladder and also admitting of the folding and disconnection of the sections.

It further consists of details of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of a ladder embodying ourinvention.

Fig. 2 represents an elevation at a right angle to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a partial side elevation and partial vertical section thereof the section being shown detached. Fig. 4: represents a sectional View on line a; .1 Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A and B designate castings or heads adapted to be applied to the ends of sections 0 and D of a ladder. On the head B are the ears E, each of which is provided with a slot or throat F on its inner face. Opposite to said ears Eon said section B are the ears G, each of which is provided with a slot or throat H in the outer wall thereof, while between said ears E and G is an inclined surface or wall J on the section B. Pivotally connected with one side of the section B and situated within a recess K is the 0 latch or look L, which has the flat face M,

which is adapted when the parts are in unlocked position to be in line with and correspond to the upper edge or wall J of the section B, the said latch or catch L being provided with ahandle N for operating the same. Situated in the recess 1? in the section B is a spring-dog Q, provided with a nose R, which projects through a suitable opening in the section B and is in the path of the movement of the handle N. A suitable knob S is connected with said dog Q, the same occupying the eye S on the head B, whereby said dog may be pushed back and afterward locked.

T designates a lug or head on the section A, which has a pin U projecting on both sides thereof, and on the opposite side of said section A is a lug or head V, which is also pro vided with a pin W, which projects from both sides thereof, said section being further provided with a recess A, adapted to receive a portion of the latch Lwhen the same is properly turned. The upper inner portion of the lug T has segmental shoulders T thereon, and the upper walls of the ears E are circular, as at E, to accord with the curvatures of said shoulders T, the circles being described from the pinUas a center. When the sections B O are interlocked, as in Fig. 1, the shoulders T rest upon the walls'of the ears E, so that the upper section A is sustained on the lower 7c section by the pinsU and W, which occupy the throats Fand II, respectively, said shoulders T upon the walls of the ears E and the lower wall B of the section A being superimposed upon the upper wall J of the section B: Then as the sections are prevented from shifting owing to the latch L a strong, durable, and reliable connection of the sections A and B is produced. On the head B, in the present case integral with the eye S, isa guard S which circumscribes the handle N from below and prevents improper movement of said handle, and consequently of the latch L.

The operation is as follows: The section 0 is placed in such position with respect to the section D that the pins \V and U are in line with the throats ll and F of the ears G and E, so that said pins can be slipped or entered by proper manipulation of the parts into said throats, the lower wall B of the section A be- 0 ing inclined to correspond to the inclined upper wall J of the section D, so that when the sections A B are coupled the section A will ride down on the section B and retain the pins U W in the throats F H and thrust the curved 5 shoulders T against the curved walls or edges E of the ears E, thus providing a strong connection of said sections and preventing separation thereof unless the upper section is raised or moved up the incline of the lower roo section. The parts above described assume the position soon in Fig. 1.. If now it is desired to lock the parts in said position, the catch L is operated by moving the handle N, whereby said catch is rotated and a portion thereof enters the recess A in the section A, the handle N having ridden freely over the beveled face of the nose R of the dog Q and then engaging theflat face of the back of said nose and the knob S, reoccupying its first position in the eye S, whereby it will be seen that the heads A B, and consequently the sections 0 D, will be locked in position. Now when it is desired to fold the sections of the ladder the dog is pressed back by the knob S, whereby the nose R is removed from the path of the movement of the bar N, when the latch may be returned to its former position, whereby it will be seen that by laterally moving the section 0 to a slight extent the pin W is Withdrawn from the throat H and the pin U partially remains in the throat E, and so when said pin is returned into said throat it will serve as a hinge whereby the sections may be folded one on the other, the segmen tal or curved shou-ldersTriding on the curved walls E of the ears E, which, with the pin U in the throat F, form an axis for the two sections A B, or by fully withdrawing; the pin II from the recess L the sections maybe entirely separated, it being noticed that the throat F is somewhat deeper than the throat II.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of our invention, and we do not, therefore, desire to be limited in each case to the same. I

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a folding ladder, a ladder formed of sections the contiguous faces of which are inclined, a plurality of cars on one section, said ears having each a throat therein, a plurality of heads and pins on the other section and segmental shoulders on one of said heads adapted to rest upon the ear of the opposite section, said ear having a curvature registering with that of said shoulders. 1

I11 a foldingladder, sections havingaplu rality of throated ears on one section, a plurality of pins and shoulders on the opposite section, a lock on the other section independent of said ears, said pins being adapted to enter the throats of said ears and said shoulders being of segmental form, coinciding with the curved surfaces of the opposite ears and heads and contacting therewith.

3. In a folding and separable ladder, a ladder formed in sections, a plurality of cars on one section, a plurality of pins on the other section adapted to fit in said ears, a movable lock which is adapted to be operated to prevent separation of the sections, and a catch adapted to secure the lock in its operative position.

4:. In a folding and separable ladder, a ladder formed in sections, en gaging pins and ears on said sections, a movable lock which is adapted to be operated to prevent separation of said pins and ears and consequently said sections, a handle on said lock, a catch adapted to engage said handle to secure said lock in operative position and a guard on the section adjacent to said handle around the latter and the nose of said catch.

JAMES MCMILLEN. HENRY HALSTEAD STYLL.

Witnesses as to James McMillen:

7M. 0. W'ALLAOE, EUGENE CARY,

L. S. AVERY.

IVitnesses as to II. II. Styll:

In. C. WVIEDERSHEIM,

O. D. MoVAY. 

